“I’m sorry, but I don’t feel your sincerity, Young Duke. And I don’t think I will in the future either.”

Both Duke Siegfried and Eden before me… they seemed quite far from love.

“So it would be better to find another way to gain the Duke’s approval. I’ll take my leave now.”

I spoke rather coldly to Eden, who had wasted his effort today, as I stood up.

For a moment, the boy’s eyes seemed flustered, but he quickly stood up to escort me.

Ding-

When Eden pushed the door, the bell attached to it made a tinkling sound.

When I first came to the capital, the night wind was cold, but now it had become quite warm.

Late spring seemed to be passing by.

“If I may add, I didn’t make this sudden proposal to you just to gain my father’s approval.”

On the way to escort me back, Eden hesitated for a moment before speaking in a calm voice.

I turned to look at Eden in slight surprise.

Unlike Duke Siegfried… he didn’t seem the type to tell obvious lies.

“Then perhaps you’re interested in my red beet business?”

‘Seeing how people line up for over three hours, maybe that’s it.’

Soon, we arrived in front of the Marquis’s residence.

Eden stood facing me and moved his lips.

“…My calculations were wrong.”

“…Pardon?”

“I was certain it was 0 percent… but the moment I saw you, all the formulas in my head crumbled. That was a first for me. I…”

Eden placed his hand on his left chest and stopped speaking.

His dark grey eyes seemed to waver in confusion. I just stared at him, not understanding what he was trying to say.

“When I was young, my father told me something. He said if I ever meet a woman who defies all calculations, I should never let her go. He said that’s what my late mother was like.”

What’s this, Uncle Amrus… Who knew you were such a romantic!

‘But why is he telling me this?’

“…Young Duke.”

“So my declaration to you isn’t because of my father.”

A gentle breeze tickled my hair.

“Um… excuse me, but…”

But suddenly, even this became suspicious.

“Was that speech just now also calculated based on percentages to win my heart?”

Eden’s eyes wavered at my words.

As I thought, I hit the mark?

Eden slightly turned his gaze away and moved his lips.

“Indeed… you’re sharp. I can’t give up on such an intelligent lady.”

You! Really…!

Realizing there was no point in continuing the conversation, I turned around primly and said.

“I’ll head in now.”

“Yes, my lady. Until we meet again.”

***

Suddenly remembering, I checked where Eden had left the note.

“…Hmm?”

The note was gone.

Thinking someone must have taken it, I didn’t dwell on it and entered the house, where Adam greeted me warmly.

“My lady, you have a visitor.”

“What? At this hour?”

Adam nodded and lowered his voice.

“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince. He said he came to congratulate you on your opening.”

Before his voice finished, Briton came down the stairs.

He must have been drinking tea, as he held a teacup with a gentle expression.

“My lady.”

“Hello, Your Highness!”

“Welcome back.”

“Ah, yes… yes.”

‘Why do I feel guilty somehow…’

Remembering the conversation with Eden earlier, I felt somewhat conscience-stricken. As if I had been unfaithful.

“Please wait a moment! I’ll get ready and come back out.”

“No need for that. I should be leaving soon anyway, as I’ve visited quite late.”

“But…”

“I just wanted to make sure you returned home safely.”

Briton smiled kindly as always.

Then he shyly handed me a wrapped bouquet and said.

“Congratulations on your opening, my lady.”

I nodded dazedly and accepted the flowers.

The bouquet was so abundant it felt heavy for someone of my small stature to hold. A pleasant fragrance immediately tickled my nose.

I smiled awkwardly and said to Briton.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Then, feeling somewhat guilty, I confessed.

“I was just late coming in because I was talking with Young Duke Siegfried for a moment. I left right after.”

“Yes. Sir Adam told me.”

A brief silence fell between us.

Thump, thump. My heart beat softly. Should I tell Briton about the marriage proposal?

Even though we’re still young, we are technically engaged after all.

‘Ugh, what should I do!’

As my mind was spinning with worry.

“My lady.”

I flinched at the quiet voice and looked at the boy.

The boy leaned his head closer to me and whispered.

“After hearing about that, I actually felt a little…”

“…!”

Those words quietly flowed in.

“…jealous.”

But as if he had never said such words, Briton smiled sweetly again and said.

“You must be tired. I’ll take my leave now.”

I stared blankly at Briton for a while before belatedly nodding.

***

The magicians’ light enveloped the vast land.

The magical light penetrated deep into the soil to examine if the land was suitable for farming.

There were people recording this as well.

The recorded values would later be graphed to evaluate the soil’s fertility.

“…This garlic field is hopeless too.”

Everyone’s faces were dark as they conducted the geological survey.

They had already moved seven times, surveying places they thought might be suitable.

But the results were all the same.

The soil fertility… was depleting.

“Your Grace.”

One magician reported to Siegfried with an ashen face.

“Our predictions were completely wrong. Not a single piece of land is usable. Though it looks fine on the surface, it’s rotting from within… There’s no solution at present. I apologize.”

Siegfried examined the report.

Surprisingly, it was identical to the report from the previous geological survey.

How could the land throughout the entire empire be dying like this, as if diseased?

If it weren’t for Arinel, they wouldn’t have noticed at all.

“We’ll end the geological survey here.”

At Siegfried’s order, the magicians stopped their survey.

He spoke with lowered eyes.

“Proceed quickly with the construction of food storage warehouses as His Majesty ordered. Also, send a request to allocate Duke Guermont’s forces for this.”

Despite surveying key points from one end of the empire to the other, the results were the same.

There was no need to continue the geological surveys anymore.

His eyes gleamed sharply behind his glasses.

“Also, contact the Alchemy Tower Master to see if they can produce fertilizer to extend soil viability. Even if it’s just for a month or two, we need to delay the great famine as much as possible.”

Though the land was too damaged to recover even with good fertilizer, they couldn’t just do nothing.

Research showed the soil would need at least 4 years of rest to recover, which matched exactly what Arinel had said.

“And secure land for growing red beets as the Elementalist advised.”

Siegfried recalled Arinel’s words.

“The larger the cultivation area, the better.”

With soil fertility this low, growing red beets, which can thrive with little fertility, would help with the food shortage.

‘How far ahead did that child see?’

Duke Siegfried thought as he gazed into the distance.

Perhaps Arinel was a child fatefully born for the Albreon Empire.

Siegfried sincerely thought so.

It was an uncharacteristic thought for someone who believed in nothing but the scientific and economic.

Just then, he heard a magician shout.

“Y-Your Grace! There’s something strange here!”